Smoking article including multilayer medium portion

ABSTRACT

A smoking article including a multilayer medium portion is provided. The smoking article includes a filter portion and a medium portion including a first smoking material portion and a second smoking material portion. The first smoking material portion is surrounded entirely or partially by the second smoking material portion in a longitudinal direction of the medium portion, and tobacco raw materials included in the first smoking material portion and tobacco raw materials included in the second smoking material portion are different.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a smoking article including amultilayer medium portion, and more particularly, to a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion that allows a plurality of tobaccoflavors to be tasted in one smoking article.

BACKGROUND ART

Smoke or an aerosol generated in smoking articles moves from upstream todownstream and is delivered to a smoker so that the smoker feelssatisfied with smoking. There are several factors that determine smokingsatisfaction, but the most important factor is the tobacco flavor thatthe smoker tastes.

Sometimes, smokers want to enjoy various tobacco flavors in one smokingarticle, and in order to meet the smokers' desire, tobacco manufacturersproduce and sell products in capsules that are embedded in smokingarticle filters. When the capsules embedded in the filters are crushed,the smokers may taste various flavors due to flavoring agents filled inthe capsules.

However, since inherent tobacco flavors of smoking articles varyaccording to tobacco leaves filled in the smoking articles, there havebeen limitations in allowing smokers to taste various tobacco flavorsjust by the capsules embedded in the filters.

Thus, there is a need for new types of smoking articles that allowvarious tobacco flavors to be tasted in one smoking article.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present invention is directed to providing a new type of smokingarticle that allows a smoker to taste various tobacco flavors in onesmoking article.

The present invention is also directed to providing a smoking articlecapable of allowing the tobacco flavor to gradually change over smokingtime, in order to increase a user's satisfaction with smoking.

Technical Solution

According to an embodiment, there is provided a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion that includes a filter portion anda medium portion including a first smoking material portion and a secondsmoking material portion. The first smoking material portion issurrounded entirely or partially by the second smoking material portionin a longitudinal direction of the medium portion, and tobacco rawmaterials included in the first smoking material portion and tobacco rawmaterials included in the second smoking material portion are different.

Each of the first smoking material portion and the second smokingmaterial portion includes additives in addition to a respective tobaccoraw material, and types and composition ratios of the additives includedin the first smoking material portion are different from types andcomposition ratios of the additives included in the second smokingmaterial portion.

A transverse cross-section of the first smoking material portion has oneof a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a regular polygon shape, andan irregular polygon shape, and the second smoking material portion hasa shape corresponding to the shape of the first smoking material portionand surrounding the first smoking material portion.

The smoking article further includes a wrapper that wraps around anouter side surface of the first smoking material portion, and the firstsmoking material portion and the second smoking material portion arephysically partitioned by the wrapper.

The wrapper includes at least one of porous wrapping paper, nonporouswrapping paper, grease-resistant wrapping paper, and water-resistantwrapping paper with a coated surface.

A resistance to draw (RTD) of the first smoking material portion and anRTD of the second smoking material portion are different.

A packing density of the tobacco raw materials included in the firstsmoking material portion and a packing density of the tobacco rawmaterials included in the second smoking material portion are different.

The first smoking material portion includes a plurality of first tobaccostrands and the second smoking material portion includes a plurality ofsecond tobacco strands, each of the plurality of first tobacco strandsand the plurality of second tobacco strands produced using tobacco rawmaterials, and one of the plurality of first tobacco strands and theplurality of second tobacco strands are packed to be parallel to eachother in the longitudinal direction of the medium portion, and anotherone of the plurality of first tobacco strands and the plurality ofsecond tobacco strands are packed in random arrays.

Aerosols generated in the first smoking material portion and the secondsmoking material portion move in a downstream direction and are mixed inthe filter portion, and components of an aerosol generated in the firstsmoking material portion and components of an aerosol generated in thesecond smoking material portion are different.

An amount of the aerosol generated in the first smoking material portionand an amount of the aerosol generated in the second smoking materialportion are different.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-out perspective view of a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a smoking article including a multilayermedium portion according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a smoking article including a multilayermedium portion according to still another embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an example in which a smoking article isused by being inserted into an aerosol generation device, according toan embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating another example in which a smoking articleis used by being inserted into an aerosol generation device, accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

MODES OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.Advantages and features of the present invention and a method ofachieving the same should become clear with embodiments described indetail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, thepresent invention is not limited to embodiments disclosed below and maybe implemented in various other forms. The embodiments make thedisclosure of the present invention complete and are provided tocompletely inform one of ordinary skill in the art to which the presentinvention pertains of the scope of the invention. The present inventionis defined by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer tolike elements throughout.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical or scientificterms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by thoseof ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains.Terms defined in commonly used dictionaries should not be construed inan idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Also, in the specification, a singular expression includes a pluralexpression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms“comprises” and/or “comprising” used herein do not preclude the presenceof or the possibility of adding one or more elements, steps, operations,and/or devices other than those mentioned.

Terms including ordinals such as “first” or “second” used herein may beused to describe various elements, but the elements are not limited bythe terms. The terms are only used for the purpose of distinguishing oneelement from another element.

Throughout the disclosure, “smoking article” may refer to any articlecapable of generating an aerosol, such as tobacco (cigarette) and cigar.The smoking article may include an aerosol-generating material or anaerosol-forming substrate. Also, the smoking article may include a solidmaterial that is based on tobacco raw materials, such as reconstitutedtobacco leaves, shredded tobacco, and reconstituted tobacco. A smokingmaterial may include a volatile compound.

Also, throughout the disclosure, “upstream” or “upstream direction”refers to a direction moving away from an oral region of a user smokinga smoking article 100, and “downstream” or “downstream direction” refersto a direction approaching the oral region of the user smoking thesmoking article 100.

Further, in the disclosure, the smoking article 100 may be acombustion-type cigarette or a heating-type cigarette or the like thatis used with an electronic cigarette device.

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-out perspective view of a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

The smoking article 100 including a multilayer medium portion accordingto an embodiment of the present invention includes a filter portion 110and a medium portion 130.

The filter portion 110 is a region disposed downstream from the mediumportion 130 and through which an aerosol material generated in themedium portion 130 passes before being inhaled by the user.

The filter portion 110 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention may be formed of various materials. For example, the filterportion 110 may be produced as a cellulose acetate filter, a recessedfilter including a hollow, or the like. Also, a length of the filterportion 110 may be appropriately selected within a range of about 4 mmto 30 mm, and a diameter of the filter portion 110 may be appropriatelyselected within a range of about 5 mm to 8 mm, but the present inventionis not limited thereto.

The medium portion 130 includes a first smoking material portion 132 anda second smoking material portion 134. The first smoking materialportion 132 and the second smoking material portion 134 are disposed ina longitudinal direction of the medium portion 130, in the form in whichthe first smoking material portion 132 is surrounded entirely orpartially by the second smoking material portion 134. Here, beingdisposed in the longitudinal direction of the medium portion 130 refersto being disposed in a longitudinal axis direction of the smokingarticle 100.

In addition, tobacco raw materials included in the first smokingmaterial portion 132 and tobacco raw materials included in the secondsmoking material portion 134 may be different.

The tobacco raw materials included in the first smoking material portion132 and the second smoking material portion 134 may beaerosol-generating materials. The aerosol-generating materials may berod-shaped pieces or the like formed by grinding tobacco leaves, mixinga solvent and various additives with the ground tobacco leaves toproduce a tobacco slurry, drying the tobacco slurry to form a tobaccosheet, and then processing the tobacco sheet.

In one example, the aerosol-generating materials, e.g., the tobacco rawmaterials, included in the first smoking material portion 132 and thesecond smoking material portion 134 may be pieces of tobacco leaves,tobacco stems, and/or fine tobacco powder generated during tobaccoprocessing. Specifically, the tobacco raw materials may include groundtobacco leaves, ground reconstituted tobacco, and the like. Also, thetobacco raw materials may include burley tobacco leaves, bright tobaccoleaves, oriental tobacco leaves, expanded shredded tobacco, expandedtobacco midribs, reconstituted tobacco leaves, and the like.

Also, the first smoking material portion 132 and the second smokingmaterial portion 134 may further include additives in addition to thetobacco raw materials. The additives according to an embodiment of thepresent invention may be at least one of a flavoring agent, a wettingagent, and an acetate compound. For example, the flavoring agent may beone of licorice, saccharose, fructose syrup, isosweet, cocoa, lavender,cinnamon, cardamom, celery, fenugreek, cascarilla, white sandalwood,bergamot, geranium, honey essence, rose oil, vanilla, lemon oil, orangeoil, mint oil, cinnamon, caraway, cognac, jasmine, chamomile, menthol,cinnamon, ylang-ylang, sage, spearmint, ginger, cilantro, and coffee.Also, the wetting agent may be glycerin, propylene glycol, or the like.In addition, the types and composition ratios of the additives includedin the smoking material portions 132 and 134 may be different.

The first smoking material portion 132 and the second smoking materialportion 134 included in the medium portion 130 may be combusted orheated simultaneously or separately to allow a user to taste varioustobacco flavors.

Although the smoking article 100 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention is described as only including the filter portion 110and the medium portion 130, as in an example with reference to FIG. 1,the smoking article 100 may also be implemented to further includeelements other than those illustrated or described.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a smoking article including a multilayermedium portion according to another embodiment of the present invention.

A smoking article 100 including a multilayer medium portion according toanother embodiment of the present invention may, in addition to a filterportion 110 and a medium portion 130, include a cooling portion 150 anda support element 170.

Referring to FIG. 2, the smoking article 100 according to anotherembodiment of the present invention may have a form in which the filterportion 110, the cooling portion 150, the support element 170, and themedium portion 130 are sequentially arranged in the upstream directionfrom the downstream end.

Since the filter portion 110 and the medium portion 130 are identical tothose described above with reference to FIG. 1, descriptions thereofwill be omitted to avoid repeated description.

The cooling portion 150 may cool or lower the temperature of an aerosolgenerated as the medium portion 130 is heated. Consequently, the smokermay inhale the aerosol cooled to an appropriate temperature.

The length or diameter of the cooling portion 150 may be variously setaccording to the shape of the smoking article 100. For example, thelength of the cooling portion 150 may be appropriately selected within arange of about 7 mm to 20 mm. Preferably, the length of the coolingportion 150 may be about 14 mm, but the present invention is not limitedthereto.

The cooling portion 150 may be made by weaving polymer fibers. Here, aflavoring liquid may also be applied to the fibers made of polymer.Also, separate fibers to which a flavoring liquid is applied and fibersmade of polymer may be woven together to produce the cooling portion150.

In addition, the cooling portion 150 may also be formed by a crimpedpolymer sheet. The polymer according to an embodiment of the presentinvention may be produced using a material selected from the groupconsisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride(PVC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polylactic acid (PLA),cellulose acetate (CA), and aluminum foil.

Since the cooling portion 150 is formed using the woven polymer fibersor the crimped polymer sheet, the cooling portion 150 may include atleast one channel formed in a longitudinal direction of the smokingarticle 100. Here, the channel refers to a passage through which air orthe aerosol generated in the medium portion 130 passes.

The support element 170 prevents a phenomenon in which, when the smokingarticle 100 is inserted into an electronic cigarette device or the like,the internal elements of the smoking article 100 are pushed in thedownstream direction by a heater or the like included in the electroniccigarette device. Also, the support element 170 may cool the aerosolgenerated in the medium portion 130.

The support element 170 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention may be a cellulose acetate filter. For example, the supportelement 170 may be a tubular structure having a hollow formed therein.

The length and diameter of the support element 170 may be variously setaccording to the shape of the smoking article 100. For example, thelength of the support element 170 may be appropriately selected within arange of about 4 mm to 30 mm. Preferably, the length of the supportelement 170 may be about 10 mm, but the present invention is not limitedthereto. Also, the diameter of the hollow formed in the support element170 may be appropriately selected within a range of about 2 mm to 4.5mm, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The hardness of the support element 170 may be adjusted by controllingthe content of plasticizer during production of the support element 170.Also, a film, a tube, or the like made of a material which is the sameas or different from the material of the support element 170 may beinserted into the hollow formed in the support element 170.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a smoking article including a multilayermedium portion according to still another embodiment of the presentinvention.

A smoking article 100 including a multilayer medium portion according tostill another embodiment of the present invention may include a filterportion 110, a medium portion 130, a support element 170, and furtherinclude a front plug 190.

Since the filter portion 110, the medium portion 130, and the supportelement 170 of the smoking article 100 illustrated in FIG. 3 aredescribed above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, descriptions thereofwill be omitted to avoid repeated description.

The front plug 190 may be a cellulose acetate filter. The front plug 190may be formed of a paper filter, a porous molded product, or the like.The length of the front plug 190 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention may be in a range of about 4 mm to 15 mm, but thepresent invention is not limited thereto. The front plug 190 may becolored or flavored.

The front plug 190 serves to prevent tobacco raw materials included inthe medium portion 130 from being discharged to the outside.

Hereinafter, the structure of the medium portion 130 of the smokingarticle 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed in detail.

FIG. 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

Specifically, FIG. 4 illustrates a transverse cross-sectional view ofthe medium portion 130. As described above, the medium portion 130 mayinclude the first smoking material portion 132 and the second smokingmaterial portion 134, and the first smoking material portion 132 may besurrounded by the second smoking material portion 134.

Referring to FIG. 4, the first smoking material portion 132 disposedinside the medium portion 130 and the second smoking material portion134 surrounding the first smoking material portion 132 may have circularcross-sections and concentric cylindrical shapes. However, the shape ofthe cross-section of the first smoking material portion 132 is notlimited to the circular shape and may, of course, be various othershapes. For example, the cross-section of the first smoking materialportion 132 may have an elliptical shape, a regular polygon shape, anirregular polygon shape, or the like.

For example, when the cross-section of the first smoking materialportion 132 has one of the shapes listed above, the cross-section of thesecond smoking material portion 134 may have a shape surrounding thefirst smoking material portion 132.

Moreover, raw materials constituting the first smoking material portion132 and raw materials constituting the second smoking material portion134 may be different. Specifically, pieces of tobacco leaves, tobaccostems, and/or fine tobacco powder generated during tobacco processingwhich are the raw materials of the first smoking material portion 132may be different from those included in the second smoking materialportion 134.

Also, the first smoking material portion 132 and the second smokingmaterial portion 134 may each include various additives in addition tothe tobacco raw materials, and the additives included in the firstsmoking material portion 132 and the second smoking material portion 134may also be different. Alternatively, the additives added to the firstsmoking material portion 132 and the second smoking material portion 134may be the same, but composition ratios thereof may be different.

Therefore, it is possible to achieve an effect of allowing the smoker totaste various tobacco flavors over smoking time.

FIG. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view of a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion according to another embodiment ofthe present invention.

As described above, the medium portion 130 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention includes the first smoking material portion 132and the second smoking material portion 134 which are produced usingdifferent raw materials. Thus, the raw materials included in the smokingmaterial portions may be mixed during a production process or adistribution process in some cases.

Accordingly, the medium portion 130 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention may further include a wrapper 136 that wraps around anouter side surface of the first smoking material portion 132. Thus, thefirst smoking material portion 132 and the second smoking materialportion 134 may be physically partitioned by the wrapper 136.

The wrapper 136 according to an embodiment of the present invention maybe produced using general wrapping paper that is not treated to begrease-resistant. The wrapper 136 may be porous wrapping paper ornonporous wrapping paper.

When the wrapper 136 is the porous wrapping paper, the porosity may be,in Cooperation Center for Scientific Research Relative to Tobacco(CORESTA) units (CU), 6,500 CU or higher, and preferably, 24,000 CU orhigher. On the other hand, when the wrapper is the nonporous wrappingpaper, the porosity may be in a range of about 10 CU to 200 CU.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the wrapper136 may be produced using grease-resistant wrapping paper. This isbecause, in the case in which additives such as oil and fat are includedin at least one of the first smoking material portion 132 and the secondsmoking material portion 134, the additives included in the smokingmaterial portions may permeate through the wrapper 136 and mix with eachother.

According to still another embodiment of the present invention, thewrapper 136 may be produced using water-resistant wrapping paper. Themainstream smoke or aerosol generated in the medium portion 130 mayinclude a wetting agent, moisture, other compounds, and the like.

That is, since the wrapper 136 may be stained or weakened due to theadditives added to the smoking material portions in the process in whichthe medium portion 130 is combusted, a coating layer for greaseresistance or water resistance may be imparted to a surface of thewrapper 136.

The coating layer may include at least one of silicone materials, waxmaterials, and natural materials. For example, the wax materials maycorrespond to one of paraffin wax, embed, crystal palm, multiwax,carnauba wax, candelia wax, castor wax, microcrystalline wax, gel wax,beeswax, stearic acid, polypropylene wax, polyethylene wax, andpolyethylene acrylic wax or a combination of at least two of theabove-listed materials, but are not limited thereto.

Also, the silicone materials may be liquid silicone, but are not limitedthereto. In addition, natural material fibers may be flax, but are notlimited thereto. The flax has a characteristic in which the strength ofthe flax increases when the flax absorbs moisture. Thus, the flax mayimprove the water resistance of the wrapper 136.

As another example, the coating layer may include fine particles. Here,the fine particles may be microcapsules in which the silicone materialsor wax materials are formed as a matrix. For example, in the fineparticles, a waterproof nanoprotrusion structure may be firstly coatedwith methyl cellulose acetate to reinforce strength and secondly coatedwith a wax, such as paraffin wax, to strengthen the physical propertiesof powder. Therefore, the coating layer including the fine particles mayimprove the water resistance of the wrapper 136.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a smoking articleincluding a multilayer medium portion according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

The case in which the smoking article is a conventional cigarette willbe described as an example with reference to FIG. 6.

Referring to FIG. 6, the first smoking material portion 132 and thesecond smoking material portion 134 are disposed in the longitudinaldirection of the medium portion 130, and the first smoking materialportion 132 is surrounded by the second smoking material portion 134.

The aerosols generated in the first smoking material portion 132 and thesecond smoking material portion 134 may move in the downstream directionand may be delivered to the smoker through the filter portion 110. Inthis case, since the tobacco raw materials included in the first smokingmaterial portion 132 and the tobacco raw materials included in thesecond smoking material portion 134 are different, components of theaerosols generated in the smoking material portions may also bedifferent. Therefore, the smoker may taste various tobacco flavors inone smoking article.

In addition, the amount of aerosol generated in the first smokingmaterial portion 132 and the amount of aerosol generated in the secondsmoking material portion 134 may be different to enhance the tobaccoflavor in some cases. For example, a tobacco flavor may further enhancedor improved when the amount of aerosol generated in the first smokingmaterial portion 132 is larger than the amount of aerosol generated inthe second smoking material portion 134.

To this end, the resistance to draw (RTD) of the first smoking materialportion 132 and the RTD of the second smoking material portion 134 maybe made different. This is because, when the smoker puffs the smokingarticle 100 with a constant force, the aerosol generated in the smokingmaterial portion with a relatively higher RTD is introduced into thefilter portion 110 in a smaller amount than the aerosol generated in thesmoking material portion with a relatively lower RTD, and as a result,the mixed amount of aerosol originating from each smoking materialportion may be adjusted.

The RTD of the smoking material portion may be determined by variousfactors.

In one example, each smoking material portion is implemented in a formin which tobacco raw materials are packed therein, and the RTD of eachsmoking material portion may be adjusted by varying the packing density.Thus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a packingdensity of the tobacco raw materials included in the first smokingmaterial portion 132 and a packing density of the tobacco raw materialsincluded in the second smoking material portion 134 may be different.

In another example, the tobacco raw materials included in each smokingmaterial portion may be processed into the form of strands and thenpacked in the smoking material portion. When the tobacco strands arepacked to be parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of themedium portion 130, air passages may be formed in the smoking materialportions and movement of the aerosols is facilitated. On the other hand,when the tobacco strands are packed in random arrays, movement of thestream of aerosols may not be facilitated, and thus the RTD relativelyincreases.

Accordingly, the tobacco strands included in one of the first smokingmaterial portion 132 and the second smoking material portion 134 may bepacked to be parallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of themedium portion 130, and the tobacco strands included in the other onemay be packed in random arrays.

According to the smoking article 100 according to an embodiment of thepresent invention, it is possible to achieve the effect of allowing theuser to taste various tobacco flavors in the smoking article 100.

FIG. 7 is a view illustrating an example in which a smoking articleaccording to an embodiment of the present invention is used by beinginserted into an aerosol generation device.

Referring to FIG. 7, an aerosol generation device 200 may include abattery (not illustrated), a controller (not illustrated), and a heater210. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the battery,controller, and heater constituting the aerosol generation device 200may be arranged in a row, but the arrangement is not limited thereto.The aerosol generation device 200 may, of course, further include othercomponents other than those mentioned above.

The battery supplies power to operate the aerosol generation device 200.For example, the battery may supply power to heat the heater and supplypower required for the operation of the controller. Also, the batterymay supply power required for operations of a display, a sensor, amotor, and the like installed in the aerosol generation device 200.

The controller may be configured to control the overall operation of theaerosol generation device 200. Specifically, the controller may checkthe states of, not only the battery and the heater, but also othercomponents of the aerosol generation device 200 and determine whetherthe aerosol generation device 200 is in an operable state.

The controller may include at least one processor. The processor may beimplemented with an array of a plurality of logic gates or implementedwith a combination of a microprocessor and a memory which stores aprogram that may be executed by the microprocessor. Also, those ofordinary skill in the art to which the present embodiment pertainsshould understand that the controller may also be implemented with otherforms of hardware.

The heater 210 may be heated by the power supplied from the battery. Theheater 210 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be anelectrically-resistive heater including an electrically-conductive trackand may be heated as current is applied. In another embodiment, theheater 10 may be implemented as an induction heating-type heater. Inthis case, the heater 210 may include an electrically-conductive coil.

The case in which the heater 210 is a needle-shaped or rod-shapedheating element is illustrated as an example in FIG. 7, but the shape ofthe heater 210 is not limited thereto, and the heater 210 may, ofcourse, be implemented in various other shapes such as a plate shape.

When the smoking article 100 according to an embodiment of the presentinvention is inserted into the aerosol generation device 200, the entiremedium portion 130 may be inserted into the aerosol generation device200 and the filter portion 110 may be exposed to the outside. In anotherembodiment, a portion of the filter portion 110 may be inserted with themedium portion 130, or only a portion of the medium portion 130 may beinserted.

The smoker may, while holding the filter portion 110 in his or hermouth, inhale the aerosols generated in the first smoking materialportion 132 and the second smoking material portion 134 of the mediumportion 130.

In one example, outside air may be introduced through at least one airpassage formed in the aerosol generation device 200. For example, theopening/closing state of the air passage formed in the aerosolgeneration device 200 or the size of the air passage may be adjusted bythe smoker. Accordingly, vapor production, smoking sensation, and thelike may be adjusted by the user. In another example, outside air may beintroduced into the smoking article 100 through at least one air hole(not illustrated) formed in a surface of the smoking article 100.

In the case in which the smoking article 100 according to an embodimentof the present invention is used by being inserted into the internalheating-type aerosol generation device 200 illustrated in FIG. 7, thefirst smoking material portion 132 disposed inside the medium portion130 is heated first, and an aerosol is intensively generated from thefirst smoking material portion 132. Accordingly, the smoker may taste atobacco flavor from the aerosol generated in the first smoking materialportion 132 in an early stage of smoking.

As the smoking time elapses, the heat generated by the heater 210diffuses from the center of the medium portion 130 toward an outer sidesurface thereof, and thus an aerosol is generated in the second smokingmaterial portion 134. Accordingly, the smoker may taste a tobacco flavororiginating from the second smoking material portion 134 in a laterstage of smoking.

FIG. 8 is a view illustrating another example in which a smoking articleis used by being inserted into an aerosol generation device, accordingto an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8, an aerosol generation device 200 may include abattery (not illustrated), a controller (not illustrated), a vaporizer(not illustrated), and a heater 210.

Since the battery and the controller are described above with referenceto FIG. 7, descriptions thereof will be omitted to avoid repeateddescription.

The heater 210 may be disposed along an outer side surface inside aninsertion hole formed in a cylindrical shape at one surface of theaerosol generation device 200. When the smoking article 100 according toan embodiment of the present invention is inserted into the insertionhole, the heater 210 is operated and performs heating from an outer sidesurface of the smoking article 100.

Therefore, the second smoking material portion 134 disposed at an outerside of the medium portion 130 is heated first, and an aerosol isintensively generated from the second smoking material portion 134.Accordingly, the smoker may taste a tobacco flavor from the aerosolgenerated in the second smoking material portion 134 in an early stageof smoking.

As the smoking time elapses, the heat generated by the heater 210diffuses in an inward direction from the outer side surface of themedium portion 130, and thus the first smoking material portion 132 isheated to generate an aerosol. Accordingly, the smoker may taste atobacco flavor originating from the first smoking material portion 132in a later stage of smoking.

In addition, the smoker may taste a tobacco flavor that is generated asthe aerosol generated in the first smoking material portion 132 and theaerosol generated in the second smoking material portion 134 are mixed.For example, as the smoking time elapses, the amount of aerosolgenerated in the second smoking material portion 134 gradually decreaseswhile the amount of aerosol generated in the first smoking materialportion 132 gradually increases. Here, the smoker may taste varioustobacco flavors.

Those of ordinary skill in the art related to the present embodimentsshould understand that the present disclosure may be implemented inmodified forms without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. Therefore, the one or more embodiments disclosed hereinshould be considered as illustrative rather than limiting the scope ofthe disclosure. The scope of the present disclosure is defined in theclaims below, and any modifications, improvements, substitutions, andequivalents thereof of the one or more embodiments described hereinshould be construed as falling within the scope of the presentdisclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A smoking article including a multilayer mediumportion, the smoking article comprising: a filter portion; and a mediumportion including a first smoking material portion and a second smokingmaterial portion, wherein the first smoking material portion issurrounded entirely or partially by the second smoking material portionin a longitudinal direction of the medium portion, and tobacco rawmaterials included in the first smoking material portion and tobacco rawmaterials included in the second smoking material portion are different.2. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: each of the first smokingmaterial portion and the second smoking material portion includesadditives in addition to a respective tobacco raw material, and typesand composition ratios of the additives included in the first smokingmaterial portion are different from types and composition ratios of theadditives included in the second smoking material portion.
 3. Thesmoking article of claim 1, wherein a transverse cross-section of thefirst smoking material portion has one of a circular shape, anelliptical shape, a regular polygon shape, and an irregular polygonshape, and the second smoking material portion has a shape correspondingto the shape of the first smoking material portion and surrounding thefirst smoking material portion.
 4. The smoking article of claim 1,further comprising a wrapper that wraps around an outer side surface ofthe first smoking material portion, wherein the first smoking materialportion and the second smoking material portion are physicallypartitioned by the wrapper.
 5. The smoking article of claim 4, whereinthe wrapper comprises at least one of porous wrapping paper, nonporouswrapping paper, grease-resistant wrapping paper, and water-resistantwrapping paper with a coated surface.
 6. The smoking article of claim 1,wherein a resistance to draw (RTD) of the first smoking material portionand an RTD of the second smoking material portion are different.
 7. Thesmoking article of claim 6, wherein a packing density of the tobacco rawmaterials included in the first smoking material portion and a packingdensity of the tobacco raw materials included in the second smokingmaterial portion are different.
 8. The smoking article of claim 6,wherein: the first smoking material portion includes a plurality offirst tobacco strands and the second smoking material portion includes aplurality of second tobacco strands, each of the plurality of firsttobacco strands and the plurality of second tobacco strands producedusing tobacco raw materials, and one of the plurality of first tobaccostrands and the plurality of second tobacco strands are packed to beparallel to each other in the longitudinal direction of the mediumportion, and another one of the plurality of first tobacco strands andthe plurality of second tobacco strands are packed in random arrays. 9.The smoking article of claim 1, wherein aerosols generated in the firstsmoking material portion and the second smoking material portion move ina downstream direction and are mixed in the filter portion, andcomponents of an aerosol generated in the first smoking material portionand components of an aerosol generated in the second smoking materialportion are different.
 10. The smoking article of claim 9, wherein anamount of the aerosol generated in the first smoking material portionand an amount of the aerosol generated in the second smoking materialportion are different.